The present invention relates to a guide mechanism for guiding one member making a relative displacement to the other member.
In an apparatus such as a rodless cylinder, in which one member makes a relative displacement to the other member, a guide mechanism for guiding one member relative to the other member has been hitherto used widely. The guide mechanism in the conventional technology is constructed such that a guide block constituting a guide mechanism is fixed to a displacement member making a displacement by means of a rodless cylinder or the like, and the guide block makes a displacement slidably along a guide rail formed to be elongate.
However, in the foregoing conventional guide mechanism, even when the guide block is structured so as to be stopped at a predetermined position of the guide rail and a positioning precision of the guide block is improved by fitting the predetermined portion of the guide rail to a base and the like with a high position precision, a tensile action, a compression action and the like occur between the guide block and the guide rail due to a warp, a distortion, a bend and the like caused in the guide rail, during a slide of the guide block on other portions except for the predetermined portion. As a result, a guide function of the guide mechanism may be damaged owing to wear of the guide rail or an application of an overload to a roller provided in the guide block. As a displacement amount is made to be larger accompanied with lengthening of the guide rail, the possibility of the damage of the guide function becomes higher.
A general object of the present invention is to provide a guide mechanism capable of smoothly exerting a guide function by absorbing an overload applied to a guide block and a guide rail even when a warp, a distortion, a bend and the like occur in the guide rail.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide a guide mechanism capable of improving durability of a guide block and a guide rail by suitably absorbing an overload applied to the guide block and the guide rail.
According to the present invention, when a position precision of other portions except for a predetermined portion of a guide rail is deteriorated, though during a slide of a guide block on the other portions, a rail member is pressed by a tensile action, a compression action and the like functioning between the guide rail and the guide block, the rail member makes a displacement by an elastic action of an elastic supporting member. Accordingly, application of a large force to the guide block and the guide rail can be prevented, and a guide function can be exerted smoothly.